The Lakers and Wizards are not expected to be granted a meeting with Kevin Durant once free agency begins, reports Sam Amick of USA Today. Amick adds that New York is back on Durant’s radar as a result of the Derrick Rose trade. The Knicks are expected to sit down with the 2013/14 MVP, as are the Spurs, Warriors, Celtics, Heat, and Clippers in addition to the Thunder.
The Wizards reached out to Durant’s camp to see if he had interest in joining the team and they came away believing it’s unlikely that he signs with Washington, Britt McHenry of ESPN.com reports. “It’s not like LeBron and Cleveland,” the source tells McHenry.
Here’s more from around the league.
- Kansas coach Bill Self believes Cheick Diallo would have been a top-10 pick in the 2017 draft had he stayed another year at the university, Brett Dawson of the New Orleans Advocate tweets. Diallo was drafted No.33 overall and the Pelicans traded their two second-rounders for his rights.
- Kevin Love received an invitation to play in the Olympics this summer, but he has declined, opting to rest after the Cavs‘ long playoff run, Marc Stein of ESPN.com tweets.
- Love took to Instagram earlier today to write an open letter thanking Cavs teammate James Jones for teaching him how to be a better teammate and how to put the team first. Such a sentiment could be foreshadowing Jones’ potential retirement, although that is merely my speculation. Jones and Love both arrived in Cleveland during the 2014 offseason.
I totally understand him not meeting with the Lakers but it still hurts. I’m tired of hearing people saying nobody wants to go to a rebuilding team. That’s ridiculous! With the talent they have abs the coaching staff they have and the money they have they can be in contention way faster then other people are acting like.
They have about the same chance of getting him as the sixers, and one could argue the sixers have more potential than the lakers. These guys want to win, not just go to a sexy city, and don’t underestimate the lack of state tax in Texas. That’s millions more in these guys pockets and they’re a perennial winner.
I’m referring to the Spurs. Sorry
While I agree with your point that they can be in contention quicker than some people expect, they still aren’t going to be a serious contending team (even if he joined the roster) this year and probably next year either. The only problem with the Lakers’ pitch to draw a top player like Durant is their roster. Their core roster (Russell, Clarkson, Randle, etc), as currently constructed, is at least another two years away from being a serious contender (not necessarily championship level, but a team that should make the playoffs rather than scraping by during the final week of the season). Adding Durant to that core speeds up that process by maybe a year, but the team would still be depending on their young core developing properly. The Lakers would also have to sign/trade for another major star if they wanted to please Durant and further speed up the process.
For a guy like Durant, who probably isn’t considering money or marketing opportunities as a major factor (considering he’s one of the top 5 players in the league both in skill and popularity…going to a major market team probably isn’t going to have a major effect on how much money he’s going to make a year), the biggest factor is probably how quickly could he win a ring with the team he chooses. With Durant, the Lakers are probably looking at another 1-2 years before their championship window really opens up while teams like OKC, SA, GS, Miami, and the Clippers would be a serious championship contender this year if they added Durant this off season. Why wait a year or two when you can go for it now?
If this is True , then Durant mite as well get ready to never come home in less he resigns with okc. He will get boo and heckled every time he come home , that in clues going to Redskins , Nationals, caps, or when he plays against wizards . If he at less talk to them he could at less say I at less meet with them. But to not even talk to them he mite as well slam door on all of us. What he doesn’t get is if he goes to New York which is joke , he thinks pressure is bad if he goes home ny med will be 10 time worse if he doesn’t lead them to title same . And he will playing in shadow of Patrick Ewing , Willis reed , Larry Johnson ,mason,sprewell,Starks Oakley Houston king earl Monroe Walt Frazier which when you look fact they haven’t won a title since 73 and at less bullets won won in 79 . He will have more pressure on him. And as fact rose is just like Westbrook but worse he is injure prone. And when it come to Boston here more pressure if he doesn’t bring a title there because he would be playing in shadows of bird, Russell, cousy, Havlicek, mcHale,cowens, Garrett, parish,Allen Johnson ,rondo all who won title with celtics . He should Kenny Anderson ,Walker what happen when they didn’t bring title there. And what has this group celtics shown him they are the guys to win a title with . Then there Spurs like said yesterday he really need to look at it closer most of the roster are over 30 and sooner then later they will fall of the cliff. And also they n have 12,8 million under the cap so to for him to sign . They would have to trade both green and Diaw to even give him what he want. And when you add the fact once again if he doesn’t help them win a title how he will look in fact he will have player like Duncan , Parker , gonobili , Robinson to be compared to. Then there the clippers well really what have they done nothing . Even to make this happen they have to trade there best player Griffen. And if they don’t win you know Paul is going to want traded to Cleveland to play with James . And when you look at roster past the starts , there where no better then wizards last couple years . Then there’s the Warriors . Every body think this is great . But to make this happens the Warriors would have to lose most of there team. To make it happen this year. And when you add in fact that curry is free agent next year they have to play him max contract that will be 34 million next year . And at time they lose the rest of the free agents . It will be great having curry, green , Thompson, Durant , but who plays center and who will they have on bench . Because just in there salaries will be looney , jones they will have have 105 million on there salary cap and and cap at that time will be around 120 but with only have around 15 million to spend . They will have to play 9 players with that . Which basically means they have to play them vet min to every one else . And if curry is like Westbrook he is shoot first guard and when you add fact that they do have green , Thompson on the team his touch will go down. Which mean they won’t get the same Durant. And fact is curry has injury history him self and if for some reason they don’t win a title why’ll he there . He will have pressure that the team was great before he got there and they had to let most team go . So there only to places where if for some reason he doesn’t win a title he won’t have pressure of the past that’s okc where he been . And win or loss he is legion and people will love him no matter what. He would get his money. And they could keep most of team together .and there is no Legacy to play in shadow of then his own . Then there his home town team Washington . Wizards tell this season wear on the up swing. They have all star point guard and beside Paul is best true point guard in the NBA. And he would have all star caber of guard . And last season was bad but if he step back and truly look at it. It was train reck because they had lame duck coach. And roster field with 1 year contract free agents that losing situation . Now that does leave 10 open spots that they could sign who ever he want to play with. . You add in fact it is his home. Yes , but because he is a home town boy . Win or lose he will be beloved . And if he does come home and they win he will be legion. .But if he didn’t bring a title to dc . He still beloved any where else then dc or okc . Any where else he play and he does lead them to a title he will be looked like a over hip and over payed player. Where I like player like Barkley , Malone , Mullins , Iverson, Payton ,and Ewing . He will be look like them . Players that didn’t just not win title but player that went chasing the title and chance team to do so and still never won it . But if he stays in okc he’ll look like play that stayed and was loyal to his city and there fans . Or if he went home . That he won’t home to play in front of his family and friends. And be where he grow up going to his local team games . Well back to my commit Durant better be ready to be boo and heckled when he come home . He will not be able to go to Redskins, Nationals, capitals games . And this come from guy who yes grow up in dc area but I’m not a Redskins or nationals fan . I know how dc area fan love there teams. And they will see him as a trader.
Maybe he’d consider meeting with the Wizards if you learned how to use proper grammer, punctuation, and spelling. It seriously cannot be that hard to make your posts a bit more readable. You’ve been posting, on two different accounts, for months now on basketball and baseball and they all have the same terrible mistakes. People might give more respect to your opinions and posts if they could read them. But obviously you ignore these comments so go on and make another post on the next article involving Durant on how we’re all wrong.
How could you even read the comment you responded to….
Oh I didn’t, I just skip to the end of his posts since he usually posts the same things on different articles.
It is comical that the Celtics, Knicks, and Heat think they could actually sign Durant. I love following the Celtics’ never ending search for a star and the Knicks’ forever struggles. Nothing against either team, but it’s hilarious how they keep failing.
Sounds like James Jones is doing a real fine job!